It’s barely fall so the usual question of “what did you do all summer?” is still in the air. If you ask me that question, I would tell you that I worked non-stop. You see, I wrote and completed a entire (400 page) book! That’s how I spent the summer of 2014. With books, there’s this crunchy part when it takes working 24/7 to get it finally done. Most authors would agree that at this particular stretch, the book becomes a spouse you love and hate at the same time. To fall in love with your own book is a consuming passion; books are demanding lovers that want all of your time, which you want to give them because nothing less will get the job done. Only once it’s done, you can finally come up for air! (Thanks to family and friends who tolerated me during the last miles of this journey).

At the stroke of 4 pm, August 24th, I clicked Save and then Drop-Boxed the manuscript for The Baker’s Four Seasons to the book designer team. This refers to two professionals, both from some tropical hemisphere which is to say, I don’t know where any of the team of people who are helping me produce cookbook are situated. That’s the new definition of the home office. Once my home office was me and the local Fed Ex, but now, as I’m both author and publisher, I have a new cast of characters. My publishing team has been cobbled together by Internet networking and it consists solely of people I only know by email and a little Skype or Viber. In-between, there’s dozens of volunteer testers; the same is true for the many editing and proof-reading friends. Suffice to say, it takes a village, a global village, to produce a cookbook.

When will the book be ready? Probably 6-8 weeks. I hope, I hope, I hope! I’ll let you know the minute I do and always, the book will be available in print as well as an E-book. I might, if I can figure out the mechanics, do a pre-sale for BB folks.

Just so you know, the new cookbook book is a luscious and generous collection of over 175 recipes and includes a Special Bonus Tea/Coffee Chapter ( over 35 bonus recipes) as well as tons of interesting, seasonal information and yet another bonus Baking Techniques Chapter. And yes, it’s another black-and-white cookbook but this time, let me remind you that I’ve set up a Pinterest board of recipe photos (more to be added) Check out http://www.pinterest.com/marcygoldman/the-bakers-four-seasons-cookbook/

The very first days after I finally finish a book manuscript, especially one as big as The Baker’s Four Seasons, I am (in no particular order), tired, stressed, happy, relieved, proud, stunned and itching to relax, girl shop, cook and bake new things, and return to tango. So, on this long holiday weekend, I’m doing exactly that. As you might expect, I’m either hyper or relaxed, cooking and baking new recipes, and/or reading a bunch of great books with a cup of coffee, cozied in my hammock. I’m also watching Suits, Cedar Cove (it’s my guilty pleasure) and have enjoyed movies from The Hundred Foot Journey to Chef, among others, and I’ve been tango-ing in the parks before it gets too cold. I’ve also found some amazing new products from Cake Boss, Dansko, and Jiva Coffee as well as cool, crafted glasses cases from my friend Kathleen on Etsy. Kathleen makes incredible custom eye glass cases out of rescued, vintage fabric. Each is one of a kind.

That's pink and lilac number is my recent buy. You can reach Kathleen here : (and please tell her I sent you)https://www.etsy.com/people/rescuedbykathleen

Also check out my reviews for www.Dansko.com (incredibly fashionable, comfort footwear for hard-working home chefs) and neat coffee cubes from www.JivaCoffee.com.

In October, I’ll be sharing some special, new test kitchen recipes with you (Fried Pizza, Peel Street Pecan Pie, Coconut Chicken, Caramelized French Toast and more) so please be patient. I’m also working on making mini or wee, single-subject E-books so if all you want is Biscotti or Soups, that’s on the way. This month, September, I’ve included some easy treats as well as some Jewish New Year recipes. Don’t forget my cookbookA Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking’snew edition, has a bonus 30 recipe cooking section and is loaded with recipe photos. I can give you a sampling of recipes from that book here at BB, but the best of the best, are all in that book. (Just saying). Publisher rumor is that Jewish Holiday Baking will also be available on Kindle soon.

As you no doubt (my baking choir friends) agree, food is how we celebrate life and connect to each other and to nature, since all we eat comes from the land, sky and sea. Body and spirit, we’re not beings and things apart from anything, inside or out. We’re part of it all and each other. When we bake in rhythm to what’s around us (like locally grown produce), we become part of the earth’s own heartbeat. This isn’t the beat of the proverbial different drummer; it’s the beat of the same drummer and we eat at this same, wonderful collective table. This has never more true than today, as the Internet (and food trucks!) has escalated our appetite for fusion cuisine. Once ‘fusion cuisine’ was a new style of food and a tentative trend (only a few restaurants ventured into it). Now, everything is necessarily fusion since the borders and boundaries (geography, culture and culinary rules) are all but gone. Check out the book or movie The One Hundred Foot Journey to see my point. Consequently, we’re expanding our palates. The flair of cross cultures (not to mention the enduring trend of salty, sweet, spicy, sour and hot continues) as it distills down into recipes, is always on the menu. It’s always cool, tasty, imaginative and relentlessly flavorful and exciting. Global influences, all shared, certainly inspires me as culinary professional. On a rather constant basis, I want to inhale, taste, recreate and re-invent food, via recipes and bring them over to your house for you to enjoy.

So, come back to the kitchen, start peeling, grating, chopping and mixing. Summer’s done and now there’s so much do as well as recipes and tips I want to share with you. I can’t promise you perfect; but I can promise you great fun, mess, good food, and a sense of well-being that comes from taking good care of yourself and those you love.

Happy Labor Day (add a ‘u’ if you’re Canadian) and happy baking and welcome to the Fall Kitchen of BetterBaking.com,

Warm wishes,

Marcy Goldman
Master Baker, Author
www.BetterBaking.com
Est. 1997

RECIPES FOR SEPTEMBER 2014 (P.S. I also have a new baking column over at www.Clabbergirl.com so do visit and pick up more of my recipes)

Marcy Goldman's Famous Moist and Majestic Honey Cake FREE (Over 9670 Downloads)
A delicious Jewish New Year tradition that will turn a honey cake hater into a honey cake fan. This honey cake is queen of the realm - rich with honey, warmed up with some cola (trust me) and perfectly spiced. If you Google honey cake - this, my recipe, comes up a hundreds of times - making me a proud queen bee. Many people have said, this particular recipe is worth the price of A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, Whitecap Books, 2009)

World's Best Deep Dish Apple Cake FREE!!!
For years, my (once) mother-in-law made an incredible deep dish apple cake. She gave me the recipe and although I followed it to the letter, my cake, while good, never looked like hers. I finally overhauled it from top to bottom myself and voila! I got the apple cake of my dreams. This is outrageous and what I called the Definitive Apple Cake. It’s also wonderfully old-fashioned and easy.

Apple Cider Biscotti
I love spice, apples and apple cider so this had to get wrapped up in a biscotti. Sometimes I glaze these with a confectioners’ sugar quick fondant glaze or instead, use the special cider/sugar dipping method to finish these off.

Perfect for Grilled Cheese Bread
Everyone needs a stand-up, grilled cheese sandwich, sacrifice bread. This is it. Grilled cheese is in. Bake the bread, buy the cheese, do the doing.

Bistro Style Zucchini Lasagna Primavera FREE (Over 2773 Downloads!)
If you can find a more ambrosial tasting lasagna, please share it. It’s light, has an additive garlic béchamel going on, and makes good use of surplus zucchini. Spinach (or finely minced, steamed kale) can also be used in this recipe with the zucchini or instead. I originally created it for Eating Well Magazine and it still is a stand-out recipe.

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Blondies Crème Brule Cheesecake Blondies
Blond ambition in a bar. Crème Brule syrup, along with a layer of cheesecake gets swirled into this golden, pecan and butterscotch chip blondie. A few steps and voila - you have baked up a legend.

Apple Rhubarb Crostata
This beautiful, free form tart adapts to any fruit but at this time of year, it's perfect with an apple-rhubarb combo. A huge, open-faced tart with tastes of summer into fall, red, rosy, sweet and tart and delicious.

Previous Monthly Essays from A Note From Marcy:

Essays to tickle your funny bone, wake up your inner baker, twinge on your heartstrings, or make you smile and say, ‘I’ve know the feeling; I know the place”. If you missed an essay, or a season in baking or inner sensibility, we invite you to stroll through our archived Notes From Marcy.